MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Kenya has today sent its ambassador Lucas Tumbo to Mogadishu barely seven months after Somalia expelled him over ‘interference’ by his country.
Early this month, Kenya reopened its airspace to Somalia flights, paving the ways for the resumption of full diplomatic relations.
Last Monday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Kenya asked Somalia to reopen its mission in Nairobi, which Mogadishu closed in December last year.
“The government of the republic of Kenya welcomes and acknowledges the invitation by the Federal Government of Somalia to restore diplomatic relations between Somalia and Kenya.
“[The] Government of the Republic of Kenya will proceed to reopen its embassy in Mogadishu as soon as possible. Further, the government of the republic of Kenya invites the ambassador of the federal republic of Somalia to Kenya back to Nairobi to resume duties.”
Ambassador Tumbo is expected to resume the work in the forthcoming days.
Somalia is also expected to send its ambassador, Mohamud Nur Tarzan to Nairobi soon to resume his duty stations.
The two countries had been at loggerheads since December 15 last year when Mogadishu abruptly cut ties, blaming Kenya for what it called “constant interference” in Somalia’s internal affairs.
Kenya rejected the claims and a team formed by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) to investigate claims returned a ‘no guilty’ verdict, which Somalia rejected.
In May, Qatari special envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani helped broker talks where Somalia initially agreed to resume ties. But after Somali authorities detained Bluebird Aviation aircraft, Kenya closed the airspace between the two countries.
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